2009 US Open - What's an Upset Anyway?

Technically speaking if the #2 Player beats the #1 Player, that's an Upset of sorts. However if the #2 Player happens to be Roger Federer and the #1 Player is either Rafael Nadal or Andy Murray, is it still an upset? If the #99 Player beats the #98 Player, is that an Upset? Or do upsets mainly pertain to Seeding in Tournaments whereas, if you are not seeded and beat a seeded player, is that an Upset?

What if you're Kim Cjlisters beating the #20 Seed at the USO? Is that an upset?

Well there's technically speaking and there's conventional thinking. Kim beating players in the top 10 is an upset on paper but all it actually does is re-enforce the minds of many that Kim belongs in the top 10 and should she continue to play at that level, her computer points will award her soon enough.

If you're Serena Williams beating Dinera Safina, is that an Upset?

Coach

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The only acceptable loss is when your opponent was better than you on that given day.
It is never acceptable to lose when your opponent was not.

As anyone in the world of athletics knows, no one is ever at 100% on a given day. Something is always not working. For tennis players, it can be anything from feeling sluggish in the feet, to being impatient and irritated, to having one of your strokes be off that day.

As well ranking is only an aggregate of 52 weeks, not a guarantee of performance on a specific day.

Saying that, there really are no "upsets" when one human body competes against another. Too many variables on both sides to be considered.

When media types talk about upsets, its to get our interest up, I imagine. It makes for better copy.